she won't run!

[dirtbag7]

Ok, I just rebuilt the dist. on my '74 K5 (new cap, rotor, points) and when we initially put it back in, pointing to number 1 at tdc, after priming the new carb, she lit right off. It would idle great, sounded good. The problem was whenever you gave it gas it would would backfire through the carb if you tried "rompin" it. If you gave it gas slowly, it would rev a little bit but the end result would be the same. Eventually we had a cool fireball come out the carb. We tried retarding the timing, but to no avail, same thing. We eventually ran out of time, and had to call it a night. Came back a week later and started all over at step 1. This time we couldn't even get it to start except every once in awhile and it was only briefly, sounded like it was starving for gas. Also, I should note that replacing the intake and carb were the intial project and decided to do the dist while we were there. Considering going to HEI, but not sure that will solve my problem. Help please?
Thanks.

 

[toomany]

It's possible that when you re-reinstalled it, you put it in 180* off. I would pull it out again and bring the motor to TDC for #1 on the compression stroke. You can verify this by putting your finger over the spark plug hole. When air comes out...you're on the compression stroke. Then position the timming mark on the balancer to around 8* on the timming tab. Reinstall the distributor with the rotor pointing at #1 on the cap.

It is also possible that the points aren't opening fully. Your second decription makes me think this. I'd check for strong spark before you pull the distributor out again. But I'm willing to be it's 180* off.

 

[dirtbag7]

We originally thought that we might be 180* out, so we moved the dist, but then it wouldn't even start at all. That was on the first night. When we went later, we started at step one all over again. I am almost 100% confident we are CLOSE to being in time. We just couldn't get it to run to set the base timing. I'm going back at it this evening and plan on trashing that old points dist. I'm going to go ahead and go with HEI and hope that will help out my cause. Thanks for the reply!

 

[marko]

Check plug wires to.

 

[dremu]

First up, yes, PLEASE go get yourself an HEI dizzy. Points suck. Hate them, hate them, hate them.

Second, if you just redid the carb, maybe you've got fuel delivery issues, like a kinked line or a clogged filter or something. If she lights every time, though, that isn't so likely.

Now, I'm suspicious that you've got wiring issues, either that two or three are just flat bad, or you've got them in the wrong order.

Looking at the top of the dizzy, they go clockwise, 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Double-check that, and remember which way is clockwise... I know it sounds dumb, but highly trained highly technical people with engineering backgrounds can miss the simplest things. (Not me, of course -- I'm referring to someone else )

You can check the wires the way man has since the invention of the spark plug, by hanging the wire by the block somewhere, or with a fancy shmancy thing like these test lights from HF:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4424

(there's a right angle version too, and for three bucks...)

Last thought is that when you go to wire up that HEI dizzy, note that the stock power wire SHOULD NOT be used. It's got a resistor in line with it AND it's small gauge. It may LOOK like 12V, but underload it'll deliver between 7 and 9V to your dizzy, which doesn't cut it.

Get yourself a nice fat #10 or so wire, run it to someplace on the fusebox that's hot in both Start and Run, and call it good.

-- A

 

[toomany]

You can check the wires the way man has since the invention of the spark plug, by hanging the wire by the block somewhere, or with a fancy shmancy thing like these test lights from HF:

I thought the proper way to check for spark was to place the plug in the end of it, and while you try to get it to set on some metal. Your friend starts canking the motor...shocking you.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I thought the proper way to check for spark was to place the plug in the end of it, and while you try to get it to set on some metal. Your friend starts canking the motor...shocking you.

A real man would hold the end of the plug wire in his mouth and have someone crank it over.

 

[dremu]

A real man would hold the end of the plug wire in his mouth and have someone crank it over.

Nah, a real man would hook it to his .... but I ain't no real man =))

-- A

 

[dirtbag7]

After my last post, I decided to just go HEI and be done. Would you believe that there was NO issue after that?!?! She lit off, we set the timing and she's up and running like a champ. I still need to tune the carb a bit, but that's ok, it's brand new and I can handle that! One question though, I used the 12 volt suply for the old coil. Is this the wire you are telling me NOT to use? It switched 12v like you said, but I never checked it under load.
Thanks.

 

[dremu]

After my last post, I decided to just go HEI and be done. Would you believe that there was NO issue after that?!?! She lit off, we set the timing and she's up and running like a champ. I still need to tune the carb a bit, but that's ok, it's brand new and I can handle that! One question though, I used the 12 volt suply for the old coil. Is this the wire you are telling me NOT to use? It switched 12v like you said, but I never checked it under load.
Thanks.

Yep, that's the wire. There should be a ballast in line with it, plus it's dang thin. I betcha if you check it under load it'll be crap ("crap" in this case being defined as 9-10V )

And yep, we'd believe that HEI works better than points

-- A

 

[dirtbag7]

It is for sure way thin. probly 16 gauge at best. The ballast was actually ON the old coil, and I yanked that sucker out whenever I threw the rest of that scrap in the trash! It runs ok for now, but I think I'll take your advice and find me a beetter source.
Thanks for the help!
(also, from now on I will remember that the term "crap" = 9-10)

 

[4X4HIGH]

Just replace the 16ga wire with a 10ga wire and you're done.